Window frame



Aug. 11, 1936. P. R. OFTEDAL ET AL WINDOW FRAME Filed June 12, 1935 1% p25. OfiedczZ 4 fiorzczfci 446-7 516; 72 78 6 Patented Aug. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES WINDOW FRAME Philip R. Oftedal, Donald G. Kingsley, and Willard Oongreve, Chicago, 111.

Application June 12, 1935, Serial No. 26,176

2 Claims.

Our invention relates to window construction and more particularly it relates to improvements in hollow window frames and sashes cooperating therewith.

The invention is especially adapted for hollow window frames for double hung windows, the

frame providing vertical slots extending substantially its full length and the sashes having laterally projecting side members extending through the slots and into the chambers provided by the vertical portions of the frame. The slots are adapted as guides for the sashes in raising and lowering the same and also are adapted to prevent side movement of the sashes. When the sashes are in closed position, the lower portions of the slots for the top sash and the top portions of the slots for the lower sash form substantial openings respectively connecting the frame chambers with the outside atmosphere and with the interior of the room.

It is found in practice that frame chambers having the described slotted openings function as conduits for the entrance of air into the room from the outside in an amount largely nullifying the effect of weather stripping with which the sashes and frames are ordinarily equipped. The chambers in the window frames collect dust and. other floating particles which enter through the uncovered portions of the slots and settle to the bottom of the chambers where they collect in quantities which sooner or later requires dismantling of the frames to permit its removal. Not only is the dismantling of the frames forthis purpose a time consuming and expensive operation, the necessity for which it is one of the objects of the invention to prevent, but the slots also permit the entrance into the relatively large frame chambers of vapor, rain and snow which causes the chambers to remain damp for long periods of time with the result that the frames prematurely disintegrate by rusting on the inside.

The invention consists in the provision of closure members connected with the frames at the marginal edges of the slots and projecting into the chamber to form runways in which the laterally projecting sash members fit snugly and cooperate therewith to prevent side movement of the sashes and, by reason of theiruniform but slightly yielding contact with the sash members, enable the sashes to be easily raised and lowered. The closure members prevent the entrance of moisture and floating particles into the chambers and also prevent the chambers from acting as conduits through which air enters the room from the outside and vice versa.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of improvements for hollow or chambered window frames of the kind described which are adapted to be manufactured cheaply, are simple, durable, easily installed and removed and 5 satisfactory for their intended purpose.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given. 0

To this end, our invention consistsin the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing, wherein like reference char- 1 acters indicate like or corresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a window equipped with devices embodying the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 20 showing the devices embodying the principles of the invention and also showing fragmentary portions of double hung sashes cooperating therewith; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a closure meme '25 her positioned within and detachably connected with the hollow frame as shown in elevation in Fig. 1 and in section in Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral I0 designates a hollow window. 30 frame generally illustrative of any one of a plurality of shapes in general use and all of which provide a relatively large chamber II extending from top to bottom of the window on each side. The side walls of the frame adjacent the sashes provide slots I2 and I3 respectively in alignment with the adjacent edges of upper and lower sashes I4 and I5. The sashes I4 and I5 have side extension members I6 which respectively project through the slots I2 and I3 into the frame I0. The slots I2 and I3 extend substantially the full height of the window and the cooperating frames and sash members are usually equipped with weather stripping to prevent entrance of air past the edges of the sashes andinto the chambers I I. It is obvious that when the sashes are closed the lower portions of the slots I2 are uncovered and connect the chambers II with the outside atmosphere and that the upper portions of the slots I3 are similarly uncovered and connect the chambers with the interior of the room.

The chambers II, opening as described both into the outside atmosphere and the interior of the room, act as conduits through which outside dust laden or cold air, or both, enters the room in substantial volume notwithstanding the provision of weather strips. The heavier particles carried by the air collect in the bottom of the chambers H as previously described and the lighter particles enter the room and settle upon the furniture, floor and walls. Experiments have shown that the chambers ll act as siphons through which the outside air enters the room when the sashes are closed, the experiment consisting in placing a supply of dry white powder in the bottom of the chamber II when the outside temperature is below that of the room. The powder enters the room through the uncovered portion of the slots l3 in streams which are visible to the eye and small deposits of such powder in the chamber are soon exhausted. The cold air entering the room in this manner is of a volume suflicient to perceptibly lower the temperature of the room, resulting in the waste of heat by the intermittent, if not continuous, flow of warm air from the room through the chambers II in the opposite direction.

The undesirable circulation of air through the chambers H and the deposit therein of moisture and floating particles is minimized, if not entirely prevented, by the provision of closure members l8 for the slots l2 and I3. The members l8 cooperating with the slots l2 extend from the bottom of the slots and terminate a few inches above the bottom of the upper sash l4 when closed. The members l8 cooperating with the slots [3 extend from the pulleys 23 at the top of the slots and terminate a few inches below the top of the lower sash l5 when the sash is in closed position.

The closure members l8 are preferably U- shaped with flanged edges 28 overlapping the exposed surface of the frames adjacent the slots and fastened to the frame in any suitable manner such as by screw bolts 2|. The frame members ID are usually constructed of relatively thin metal and, to impart rigidity thereto adjacent the slots, we provide a pair of members 23 positioned between and respectively contiguous to the slots l2 and I3. The members 23 not only provide rigidity for the frame adjacent the points where it is weakened by the slots but are also apertured for connecting the bolts 2| therewith. Rigidity is imparted to the flanged edges 20 by fastening thereto bars or straps l9 through which the bolts 2| extend.

The members [8 each provide a recess 22 extending its full length in which the laterally extending sash members l6 snugly fit and thereby mnimize lateral movement of the sashes. The side walls of the members l8 are preferably corrugated, as shown, and the members l6 are of a thickness such that the corrugations yieldingly contact with the sides thereof. The corrugations in the members l8 minimize the frictional resistance of the members l6 therewith and enable the sash to be raised or lowered with slight effort and also effectively prevent any side movement of the sashes by wind action when the sashes are in either open or closed position,

The recesses 22 cooperating with the upper sash are open to the outside atmosphere below the sash and the recesses 22 cooperating with the lower sash open into the room above the sash but, because of the relatively small area of the recesses and the fact that the sash members l5 substantially fill the recesses, there is no perceptible circulation of air through the recesses and the chambers I when the sashes are closed.

The closure members i8 also effectively prevent entrance of moisture and of dust laden air into the chamber H and as a result rusting of the interior of the frame is minimized if not entirly prevented and there is no necessity for dismantling the frame to remove dust and dirt as is the case with hollow window frames constructed as described but without the combination therewith of closure members embodying the principles of our invention.

Thus it will be seen that we have provided novel improvements in hollow frames for double hung sash windows which substantially seals the interior of the frames against circulation of air therethrough and into or out of the room which prevents the frame chambers from collecting dirt in detrimental amounts and seals the chamber against entrance of atmospheric moisture resulting in rust and premature disintegration.

Having thus described our invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of our invention; hence we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a hollow metal window frame having its inner side walls both provided with a pair of parallel longitudinally extending guide slots and double hung sashes vertically movable in said frame and each having oppositely projecting guide members reciprocably movable in said slots, U-shaped members forming closures for said slots and extending around said guide members, means fastening the side walls of the closure members to the side walls of the slots, the side walls of each closure member providing vertical corrugations in close fitting engagement with the opposite sides of the guide members enclosed thereby.

2. In combination with a hollow metal window frame having its annular side walls each provided with a longitudinally extending slot adapted to receive a guide member projecting from a sash slidably mounted in the frame, a closure member for each of said slots extending around and spaced from the guide member, said closure members each providing a plurality of corrugations having line contact with opposite sides of the enclosed guide member.

PHILIP R. OFTEDAL. DONALD G. KINGSLEY. WILLARD CONGREVE. 

